Mooloos take down Taniwha
Picksters:
After round two of the 2022 Bunnings Warehouse NPC, Picksters Power Chill have been joined in first place by McDonald’s Te Awamutu and NZME after all getting a high percentage of picks correct.
Nic&me and HTSL Diesel Mechanical follow the pack, just one point behind, while PGG Wrightson rounds off the Picksters.
There is still time to grab your spot in the competition, if you and/or your business are interested in advertising and taking part weekly, email marissa.morris@nzme.co.nz. Let’s go Waikato! Picksters: You have one joker to play anytime during the competition and if we don’t get your picks on time, we’ll select the home teams on your behalf!
Team:
Waikato have been able to record their first victory in Northland since 2018 after beating the Taniwha 16-10 at Semenoff Stadium, Whanga¯ rei in round two of the Bunnings NPC.
It didn’t start as planned for Waikato, after the home team opened the scoring with the first try through Josh Moorby only four minutes into the match.
Former Waikato player Rivez Reihana added the extras and the home team led 7-0.
Waikato scored their first points through the boot of Damian McKenzie only a couple of minutes later after Northland were penalised at ruck time for going off their feet.
McKenzie was successful, and Waikato trailed by four points.
McKenzie was again successful with another penalty shot at goal for the same penalty, to make it a one-point game after 11 minutes.
The next lot of points didn’t come until 11 minutes from half-time, when Waikato was penalised in a kickable position for Northland.
Reihana was successful with a penalty shot at goal to extend the home team’s lead back to four points. They kept that advantage as they led 10-6 at half-time.
Hooker Rhys Marshall gave Waikato the lead for the first time when he opted for a quick tap close to the Northland line to catch the defence off guard.
Marshall crossed for Waikato’s
first try in the match, and McKenzie’s boot gave Waikato a three-point buffer seven minutes into the second half.
Waikato won another penalty with a big scrum, allowing McKenzie another shot at goal. Again McKenzie was successful, and Waikato extended their lead to six points with 25 minutes to play.
That was the final score in the game, as Waikato held the home team scoreless in the second half, helping them secure their first win of the 2022 campaign.
Northland 10
(Josh Moorby try; Rivez Reihana 1 conversion, 1 penalty)
(Rhys Marshall try; Damian McKenzie 1 conversion, 3 penalties)